CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- As the Cubs left spring training, manager Joe Maddon had the vision of having six or seven players reaching the 20-homer threshold.
That plan hasn't come to fruition, with the Cubs ranking 11th in the National League in homers, but they've still found offensive success along the way. The Cubs are fourth in the NL in runs per game, and they again displayed an all-around attack in a 6-1 win against the White Sox on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field, where they produced 14 hits.
One was a homer from Kyle Schwarber, who also had an RBI double. The rest of the crew added nine single and three doubles as the Cubs dropped their magic number to five clinch the NL Central.
Only three Cubs will reach the 20-homer plateau this season -- Javier Baez (34), Schwarber (26) and Anthony Rizzo (24).
There are various reasons for the downturn in power. Ian Happ and Willson Contreras have also seen their progress stall and at times regress. New hitting coach Chili Davis has stressed the use of the entire field instead of launch angles. And injuries have played a part, as Kris Bryant has missed 59 games.
Bryant was held out of the game Sunday due to fatigue in his banged-up left shoulder, which caused him to miss the last week of July and all of August. He plans on playing when the Cubs host the Pirates on Monday.
He has 13 homers this year and only one since July 20. He's prepared to find success in any manner necessary.
"We have to string some consistent at-bats together and feed off of each other," Bryant said. "If we do that, we will be going into October in good shape."
Maddon is comfortable even if the Cubs don't have a power barrage in the playoffs.
"I prefer our hitters looking for base hits and letting pitchers throw home runs," Maddon said of taking advantage of mistakes. "I have put on more hit-and-run signs here this season than the last three seasons combined. We have turned to different nuance plays, safety squeezes. I have been asking guys to do different stuff, because we have not been putting the ball in the seats. The strikeout is still there, although we have gotten a little better at that.
"If you remember the middle of the year, we were hitting the ball and driving it to the middle of the field and doing well offensively. I would still like to see that method -- hitting the other way and utilizing the entire field. I still believe that is going to be the wave of the future. I believe it won't be all about hitting home runs. Teams will get away from lifting the ball and launch angle stuff. This will be due to velocity. Velocity will make you change your approach again."
The Cubs have managed to stay in first place since mid-July because of quality pitching, a good defense and timely hitting.
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who earned the win with 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball Sunday, sees a team that is ready to adapt as needed in the playoffs.
"It is a more well-rounded approach we have now," Hendricks said. "Even when guys are struggling, they are just trying to do the right thing in their at-bats. We are playing the game better. Runner on second and nobody out, we are conscious of getting the runner over. Same with a runner on third and less than two outs. We are in getting that run home mode."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
